A Teenager in Cliche
by hostilecrayon
Summary: As Duo Puts it, So I was just one big, burning ball of cliche back then. 1x2 Fanfic written for Cliche Month at the gwsafehouse Live Journal Community.
1. Part I

I was going to do this all in one piece, but I realized this could get long, and it can be inconvenient to open a one shot and see it's like 30-50 pages long. I have no idea how long this will end up being, but I figured that being it's for Cliche month, I may as well actually put some of it up during cliche month, heh. So here you go, the first 7 pages of my piece for Cliche month. I give all my thanks to Caroline, who handed me the Duo first person plot bunny. She got me into writing the fandom instead of just reading it, and I thank her very much! Writing in Duo's perspective is my favorite way to write fanfiction now, heh.**  
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**A Teenager in Cliche**

So I was just one big, burning ball of cliche back then. You know, teenager, horny, just came to terms with my sexuality, lusting after my best friend, the works. The whole Mariemeia event had happened two years prior, so it was peaceful, and Shinigami was told to go about his life as normal. Imagine that, the God of fucking Death told to live a normal life. It wasn't like I'd ever lived one before. But I guess I was doing alright. I was nineteen years old and just starting life. When I finally acknowledged I was gay, my sex drive hit me in full force. Even now, seeing Heero in that tight spandex...

Okay, um, where were we?

After the war, Heero and I did a little work for the Preventors, once I'd gotten away from Hilde and that damn scrap yard. She's a good person and all, but you know, the whole not liking girls thing kinda ruined it for me, even if I still hadn't admitted it to myself at that point. Besides, I wanted to be near Heero, and I mean, who wouldn't? One look at that guy and you're hooked! Girls follow him around like he's some kind of god or something. I'm the God of Death, and most girls are just like "What's with the long hair?" Sheesh.

Don't misunderstand me. I wasn't madly in love with Heero or anything. I'm not THAT cliche. That and the whole ignoring my sexual preferences thing. Heero was my best friend. No, I'm not going to say he was my only friend. I'm not that cliche, either. I had Quat, Tro, and Wu. There were others too, like Hilde and Relena, as much as those girls make me shudder.

Anyways, so the Preventors. We were both very tired of doing that kind of work. Yeah, we were good at it, and yeah, we didn't really know anything else, but we managed to find other occupations using the skills we had from the war. Of course, Heero was working with computers. He's as cliche as I am, really, him and his anti-social geek facade. I preferred to bounce around occupations, making the most out of it. After a couple of months though, I was tired of the lack of stability and grew fond of the idea of going to school.

I was in close contact with Heero, as always, though it was more like me barging in on him and him just staring at me while I talked. Well, it wasn't QUITE that bad. He said at least 10 words for every hour I was there. Yeah, like I said, anti-social. When I told him about wanting to go to school, he offered me to come live with him. It was a shock, let me tell you. I was quite taken aback when he suggested it, further explaining that I wouldn't be able to manage full time college and full time work at the same time. He had a point there, of course. Heero may not speak very often, but when he does, he has something good to say. He's not one to beat around the bush. Naturally, I accepted.

So it was the first night I'd moved in to the spare room of his apartment that I made the most cliche decision of my life: I wanted to have wild sex with Heero, and I didn't care what the cost was. Like I said, cliche. I wasn't ashamed of it either, and I'm really not now. I have no reason to be. Hormones kinda take over when Heero is around, and thinking straight isn't possible. Take that any way you like.

Again, it wasn't because of love that I came to this decision. I mean, yeah, I loved him and all. He was my best friend; he knew me better than anyone due to all our experiences in the war and the increasing amount of time we'd been spending together now that it was over. We enjoyed each other's company, if only to fill the silent void our worlds had become. I knew how he felt about everything, even if his standard response to my rambling was "Hn". So I did love him. I just wasn't in love with him. I was in lust, nineteen and curious, thinking that my first time wouldn't be so awkward if it was with someone I basically trusted with my life.

I laid in my bed that late summer night, a virgin so pure, I'd never even been kissed, and I was dreaming up all the perverse sex positions I could think of. I pretty much decided for myself that Heero was gay. He'd turned Relena down cold, which I have to admit, made me giggle profusely at the time. I thought maybe he wasn't interested because she was crazy obsessed with him, which could have been the case, but he didn't really seem interested in other girls, either.

Then again, he didn't really seem interested in the human species as a whole, but I chalk that up to just Heero being Heero.

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The first morning there was a little awkward. As many times as I'd been in Heero's apartment, I'd never once stayed the night. I didn't want to impose on him too much, him not seeming to be the guest type. I always wondered why he even bothered to have a guest bedroom to begin with. I'd stayed all night before, but only if we didn't sleep, and that was usually if we had a particularly hard case when we were working with the Preventors. We'd sometimes kick back with a few beers while sifting though endless piles of information. So it came as a bit of a shock to me when I opened my eyes and saw a room I barely recognized. 

As a matter of fact, that was only the second time I'd ever been in that room. The first time was when I forced him to give me a tour of his apartment two years ago. I sat up slowly and looked around. Before we'd moved my stuff into it, the room had been nothing but a queen sized bed with a plain white comforter on it and a small black night stand. Now though, it was a work of art. My tall, narrow bookshelf was crammed into the corner, overloaded with books on a million different subjects, some laying on top of the messy rows because I just couldn't stuff them in anywhere. A tall dresser was next to it, packed with clothes and covered with random objects like pez dispensers and my key chain collection. The night stand was covered in similar objects, with the addition of a metallic, long necked reading lamp. Beautiful, dark artwork covered the walls. My bedspread and my curtains matched, crushed velvet. I loved that bedspread. I had matching pillows and silk sheets. What can I say? I like the luxury of sleeping comfortably. After growing up on the streets, I ate up every luxury I could for a while there.

Heero had put anything I wanted to keep but couldn't fit in my room in the living room, which was basically just my drawing desk and easel. The rest of my junk was either left behind or stuffed in closets. I didn't really need most of my old stuff, so I called up the local orphanage and let them take whatever I left, which was quite a bit. Heero had everything we needed as far as basic living went. Really, that was about all he had. He was still a minimalist, and the most expensive thing he bought for his home was probably his computer.

It was a Sunday, and school was starting the following day. It's a good thing Heero and I are hard workers. I wanted to rest before starting school, having left my current fad in jobs - department stores - only that Friday. I only had one day to re-cooperate before slipping right into another grind. Not that I minded much. I was used to switching routines and changing things up. It was almost a little frightening to think about the prospect of sticking with something for once. Almost, not quite.

I figured right then was as good a time as any to start my little game of cat and mouse. I generally sleep naked anyway, and that night was no exception. So instead of throwing on some clothes, I just made sure my braid was tight and wrapped a towel around my lower half. I stepped out of my room and walked slowly to the bathroom. I "accidentally" bumped into Heero on my way down the short hallway. I didn't get much of a reaction though. He just moved out of my way. I was at least hoping for a lingering gaze or something. I should have known it'd be a huge challenge.

Fair enough. An easy catch isn't worth having, you know?

I took my time in the shower, thoroughly coating my long hair with the conditioner I'd brought with me. I was almost convinced that Heero didn't use conditioner because it wasn't necessary. Though he did manage to prove me wrong, I go through a giant bottle of conditioner in a week. His little bottle of rather expensive conditioner wouldn't have even seen me through half of one washing. I briefly wondered why he used conditioner that was as expensive as my bottle that was five times the size as I rinsed my hair free of the silk inducing substance. Hell, I took great pride in my hair, but my conditioner worked well enough to keep my hair shiny and smooth. Heero didn't even look like he brushed his hair.

Though I have to admit, his unruly hairstyle is damn hot.

I take even longer to brush my hair, dry it and put it in the mandatory braid. I didn't like people seeing me with it down, let alone touching it, which, I know, defeats the purpose of silky conditioner, but it was mostly so I could brush the god forsaken mess. Heero may have been my best friend and the object of my sex drive, but I still wasn't comfortable with him seeing me without my braid. I silently prayed he wouldn't want to take it down when I finally got him into bed before I walked back down the hallway, dripping wet and wrapped in my towel again.

Instead of dressing, I decided to throw on my devastatingly short white robe and parade around the house half naked. I tied the sash loosely, letting the front hang open a little, showing off my defined chest. Despite all my battle scars, I still looked pretty damn good. Hello sex appeal.

"Hey man." I inclined my head towards him as I grabbed a bagel from the kitchen, walking right in front of him on my way to lounge in the armchair, consciously ignoring how high the robe slid up my thigh as I sat down.

"Get lost in the bathroom?" He asked sardonically, his gaze never leaving the morning news blaring from the TV.

Whether or not he meant the undertone that phrase had to it, I had the decency to blush a little. "You try washing, conditioning, brushing, drying and braiding this huge mass on my head and see how much time you spend in the bathroom. You should definitely start taking your showers first."

"Hn."

I chewed thoughtfully at my onion bagel. I was getting nowhere, and fast. Basic sex appeal seemed to escape Heero all together, which wasn't too surprising. It just made the challenge even harder. I was really going to have to think on this one. I didn't want to be too forward and creep Heero out or anything. I preferred for him to make the first move. But getting through to Mr. Glare-of-Death wouldn't be easy. We may not have been doing missions anymore, but Heero still carried that same "I do it for the mission" mentality. It would have been sickening, if only the dedication wasn't so awe inspiring. I mean, I was a dedicated soldier, but I always knew how to kick back, too. Heero was just intense. I often wondered what it was like to be THAT dedicated to something.

The news ended before I'd come up with anything, so I reluctantly stood and said, "I guess I should go get dressed."

"Hn." Again, he didn't bother looking at me.

I dressed quickly; something tight and sexy, but nothing that really screamed "I'm gay, fuck me!" Just some snug blue jeans and a small t-shirt. "Hey Heero, want to catch a flick?" I asked casually when I made my return to the living room.

He shrugged in mute acceptance.

"Damn, you're one hell of a conversationalist today." I joked sarcastically. He ignored me and got up to walk to the door. I often teased him about his inability to hold a decent conversation, so I knew it didn't bother him. It was kinda starting to bother me, though. Things would have gone a lot smoother if he'd have just talked to me sometimes.

* * *

He let me pick the place and the movie. That was his mistake. I, of course, chose the little two dollar theater across town, where they offered a plethora of corny, B rated movies. Four bucks at the door and forty at the concession stand later, we'd finished a horrible double feature which left me in giggling convulsions at the bad acting, and left Heero glaring at me with a look that plainly said "Why the fuck did we just waste 3 hours of our lives here?"

"Relax, Heero. You're supposed to be having a good time, you damn hermit." His glare only got more pointed. Thank god I was immune to it. "Let's grab something to eat."

"You already ate half the concession stand."

He had a point. "So what? Boy's gotta eat! I could really go for some real grub right about now! What about you?"

"Whatever."

"What are you in the mood for?"

"I don't care."

"Chinese it is then!"

I drug him off to the nearest Panda Express, and though he eventually stopped glaring at me, he still wasn't talking to me. I'd figured out that my objective would never be completed if he never spoke, so I decided to revert to plan B. We'd round off this night with some mixed drinks. It wouldn't really help A LOT, but it would have to suffice. His tongue got quite a bit looser when he was riding on a good buzz, and a semi-decent conversation would be achievable. It was a start, and with most a day's worth of efforts gone to waste, I needed it.

The second we got home, I went about making some Fuzzy Navels. It's one of my favorite mixed drinks, and there's no denying it: I make a bitchin' Fuzzy Navel. I overdosed them a bit on Vodka; the stronger the drink, the quicker Heero starts talking, and I brought two nice, tall glasses to the living room. I busted out with a game of chess, and plan B was in full swing.

Unfortunately, Heero is much better at strategy games than I am, and I was losing horribly when I got up to make us more drinks fifteen minutes later. I was still losing fifteen minutes after that when I did a repeat of refilling our drinks.

But not nearly as bad.

The alcohol was starting to get to Heero, who was always a light drinker to begin with. I could barely believe he hadn't at least argued when I suggested my infamous Fuzzy Navels. Then again, he'd had them before, but with less than half of the alcohol content that was in them that particular night. I'd never seen Heero drunk before, and I assume he probably had never been, but I was pretty sure that I'd be the first to see it happen. The two of us had already put down more than a pint of Vodka and counting. I had a much higher tolerance to the stuff, but even my buzz was pretty strong.

I chuckled. Things were about to get interesting.

Heero won the game - barely. As I put the pieces back in the box, I snuck a couple peeks at him lounging on the couch. His face was flushed and his eyes were a little glassy. Half of his third drink was gone, and I smirked. One sexy, drunk Heero barely registered my approach as I sat down a little too close to him. Not close enough to be touching, but close enough for his drunken body heat to tickle the skin on my arm.

"Thanks for letting me crash here for a while." I started.

"It's not a problem."

"I always wondered why you had a spare room. You never have guests." I giggled, a bit giddy from my now borderline drunk buzz. "I guess it's a good thing you did, eh?"

"That's why I had it."

I gaped at him for a minute. He was looking at me. Well, sorta. It seemed like he was having a little trouble focusing. I was trying to figure out whether he meant he had it for me or if he was talking about situations where people needed to stay for a while, like me. I couldn't draw any conclusions, so I finally managed a "Huh?" holding the confusion just this side of my voice.

"I got a two bedroom so you'd have a place to stay if you needed one."

Huh. Well, didn't that just beat all. My best friend had been thinking about my security for at least two years. I had no idea.

"You don't keep jobs."

I deflated. He must have thought I was some kind of gimp or something. "Hey, I can keep a job if I want."

"But you don't. That's why you're here, isn't it?" Well, wasn't he just Mr. State-The-Obvious today.

"I'm here because you invited me." I rolled my eyes at him. "I just want to go to school, man. I could have got by, but you offered to make it easy on me, and why do things the hard way when I don't have to? I was getting by just fine before, thank you very much. Don't flatter yourself, Yuy. I don't need your support. I just don't pass up golden opportunities."

He shrugged, steadying himself afterwards, because it was quite obvious that his balance wasn't up to speed. "Fuck Duo, how much alcohol did you put in these drinks?"

It was my turn to shrug. "Enough."

He was trying to glare at me, but it just doesn't have the same effect when his eyes are glazed.

"Hey Heero..." I said, getting back to my initial plan. "Have you ever had the hots for someone?" Yeah, I was just about drunk here. I probably wouldn't have asked him if I were sober, or even mildly buzzed. But liquid courage does things to you. I figured he'd probably forget most of this conversation later, anyway.

He raised his eyebrows. "The hots?"

I face-palmed. "Come on man, don't tell me you don't know what having the hots for someone means."

"I know what it means. It's just an odd question. Sounds like something a fifteen year old would say." I suspected Heero had no idea how fifteen year olds acted, let alone talked to each other, but I let it slide, hoping he'd answer my question.

He did.

"I've been attracted to someone, yes." He tried to glare at me again. It was getting kinda funny to see him keep failing. "I'm not a robot, you know."

"Could have fooled me." I muttered.

His eyes narrowed. "What was that?"

"Nothing." He seemed to let it go, which was a good thing, really. I didn't want to make him angry. That would completely interfere with The Plan. "Who?"

"None of your business." Ouch. I was his best friend, and he wouldn't tell me. Not even drunk.

"Don't tell me it's Relena."

He cringed visibly. "God no. I'm not blind."

I laughed wholeheartedly. "Well Heero, you don't really know all that many girls." I was definitely treading on dangerous ground, but hey, like I said, no matter the cost.

"Hn."

"A standard response, eh? Fine then. Don't tell me."

"Okay. What about you?"

I told you he made a better conversationalist when he was drunk. Inquiring wasn't one of Heero's normal traits. Apparently, they didn't think it was necessary for the Perfect Soldier to be able to hold a simple conversation. "Well, of course I have the hots for someone."

"Have? I thought we were talking past tense here." Whoops. He was right, I asked him a past tense question. Oh well, maybe he'd get the idea faster this way, if he remembered tonight at all.

"Yeah, well, I've had to hots for someone for a while, so past tense and present tense both work." I grinned at him.

"Hilde?"

It was my turn to cringe. "What are you, psychotic? What the hell would I see in her?"

He shrugged, lighter this time.

"I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours." I raised my eyebrows, knowing with absolute certainty that it wouldn't work.

"This isn't kindergarten. Besides, it's none of my business who you're seeing."

"Who said I was seeing someone?"

"No one. But if you do start seeing the person you're attracted to, it's no business of mine."

"I beg to differ." I grinned dangerously. Man, keeping my responses in check was hard to do when I was drunk, horny and fantasizing about his flushed body.

"Excuse me?"

"Well, you're my best friend and all, and I am living under your roof." Nice save, Maxwell. Except that comment might have screwed up my subtle hinting.

"It's yours too now." He said quietly. "I think I'm going to go to bed before I get sick. Next time, we'll stick with beer. I don't trust you to control the hard alcohol."

He got up and stumbled to his room, with me close behind. Once I was snuggled up in my soft sheets, I sighed. Plan B was pretty much a failure. Oh well, I figured I could make up for it later. Plan C would have to be crafty, and it would probably help if it took more than a few minutes to come up with it. I rolled ideas around in my head as I drifted to sleep, hoping maybe something would come to me in my dreams.


	2. Part II

**Title:** A Teenager in Cliche

**Rating: **Overall, NC-17, Part II, PG

**Paring:** 1x2, possible mentions of 3x4 later

**Disclaimer:** Don't own it. Want to watch some 1x2 action, though.

**Summary:** As Duo puts it, "So I was just one big, burning ball of cliche back then."

Don't bite me! I've been working on so many other projects... I'm sorry! But hey, it's still alive, right! It's taken a bit of a different turn for me in my mind, so I'm not sure if it's still going to be just 3 parts, or if it'll be more... It's looking like it might end up a little longer than planned... like I said, it was meant to be just one part, but I like updating stuff. .;

Anyways, enjoy!

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**Part II**

I didn't have any dreams helping me in my ever going quest to get Heero in bed, but I did have a the hangover from hell. My alarm clock almost got a fist-full of Duo rage when I heard a sound that was curiously similar to the sound of puking coming from the direction of the bathroom.

I stood, bracing myself as the dizzy sensation took my splitting headache to new heights. If my hangover was this bad, Heero must have been dying. From the sounds still echoing from the bathroom, he was almost dead already.

I tossed on a pair of sweatpants, not worrying about a shirt as I headed to the bathroom, my rage temporarily forgotten. I rapped my knuckles gently against the door, not wanting to further escalate the pain in my own throbbing head. "You okay in there buddy?"

His answer was a stream of what I imagined to be curses in his native tongue, Japanese, between dangerous bouts of dry-heaving.

Yeah, Plan C was going to have to be a hell of a lot better than the one before it.

It was nearly five minutes later when he emerged to find me leaning against the door frame. "Feeling better?"

"No."

"I didn't think so. You're not going to work today, I suppose."

"I'm going." He started walking back to his room, his normally olive skin pale, his eyes red and his hair even crazier than usual.

I stared at him incredulously. "What? You're crazy! You can't go into work in that condition!"

"I don't miss work." He tried to shut his bedroom door, but I was right behind him, and I stuck my foot out just in time to stop it from closing me out.

"You do now. The war ended. There are no missions. No one will die if you call in sick. Trust me, with a hangover like that, you won't last an hour anyway."

"I'm going," he repeated, adding a full blown 'I'd like to see you stop me' glare.

"No, you're not." This is about where Plan C started formulating in my brain. It was similar to Plan B in concept: Get Heero to relax. Only this time, it didn't involve substances that would backfire on me. I'd figure out the details later, but if I could get him to stay home, the plan would be in motion.

I grinned softly at him. "Heero, you can't just keep pushing your body like this. It's not good for you. You need to stay home, and if you're going to make me call in sick for you, I will. You're resting today."

"I don't need to rest." He growled.

"How long have you been working there? Over a year now, right?" He gave me a small nod. "Let me guess, you've never taken any vacation time, you don't take sick days, and you often stay late to complete projects that you took on voluntarily. Am I right?" Silence. "I knew it. Take the day off and spend some time sleeping off the headache. You'll thank me for it later."

Those deep blue eyes were calculating everything I said, I could tell. His expression went blank for a moment before he finally said, "Fine," with a resigned sigh.

"Good!" I said a little too loud, slapping him on the shoulder. We both winced, me from the sound of my own voice, and him from me throwing his equilibrium off. "Sorry. Well, I have to take a shower. I wish I could stay behind, but I'm used to it, and I'm not that bad off. If I don't show up to my first day of classes, they'll drop me, and that would be a real shame, being I've already moved all my stuff in here." I smirked. "Here, let me give you something for that headache of yours first."

I grabbed my secret stash of Motrin out of the top drawer of my nightstand and reappeared before him, grabbing his hand and pouring some across his palm. "The headache is killer, so take four now, then just take two more whenever it gets unbearable again."

"Duo?" He was blinking stupidly at me.

"What?"

"These aren't going to work. Drug therapy, remember?"

Shit. I'd almost forgot. His drug therapy was much more intense than mine was. His body reacted differently to medicine. "Well, take eight then, and four at intervals. It's Motrin, the wonder drug. It should at least help a little. But you should eat something with it... I think I brought some instant noodles with me. Ah hell, I have a little extra time. I'll make us some for breakfast. I'm used to taking these things on an empty stomach, but I like to eat in the morning, you know? That and I doubt you could even stand long enough to cook the stuff."

So off I went to be the doting best friend that I was, cooking with the worst hangover I'd had in months. I was really hoping he'd understand how very unlike me that was. I don't cook in the morning on good days. I definitely don't attempt it when my head feels like it has a split the size of the Amazon in it. But still, instant noodles aren't exactly the most complex of foods to make, so I managed without too much trouble.

I ate at top speed, took my shower and raced out the door with a quick wave and a warning to Heero to get some rest, and I still managed to be ten minutes late to my first class. Luckily enough, most people are still getting accustomed to the school on the first day, so I just pretended to have gotten lost and took a seat in the back of my "The Recent After Colonies Wars" history class, a sure-fire A for one Duo Maxwell, ex-Gundam Pilot.

The day went by without a hitch, thanks to the fact that our records were sealed after the wars, us being minors and all at the time. The administration office knew who I was, but they were all under strict orders not to release the information to the students under any circumstances, so none of the unsuspecting kids thought that the loud-mouthed, overly-friendly guy could possibly be the feared Gundam Pilot 02, though all my teachers would find out soon enough. But for the moment, to all who I crossed paths with that day, I was just another kid. It felt kinda nice, really.

Heero was dozing lightly on the couch when I came home, which told me just how wiped out he really was. I felt pretty bad about it, to tell you the truth. I just wanted to loosen him up a bit, not give him one of my famous Maxwell Hangovers.

He stirred a bit when I tossed a blanket over him, blinking sleepily at me before continuing his little nap, and I moved to my drawing desk, keeping one eye on him while I set my mind to the task at hand. I flipped open my sketch book and mulled over my first art project of the semester. It was something so simple, but I take my art seriously, so I wasn't going to hand in just any sketch. The instructions were so vague - draw something beautiful. Well, that could be just about a million different things, thanks a lot for the specifics, buddy. I was half tempted to hand in a full color sketch of my Gundam, but that would be pushing it just a little, so I was hard up for something unique and intriguing to try my hand at capturing for a grade.

I tapped my pencil against the pad in a soft rhythm, watching Heero all the while. It definitely wasn't the first time I'd seen him sleep, but it was the first time I'd seen him sleep since the war. You'd think that no matter what, when a person sleeps, they look the same. That's anything but true, especially when you're talking about the difference of sleep that's always ready for an attacker to rouse it, and contented sleep in a new, peaceful world. And peaceful was a pretty good description of the expression on Heero's face as he slept that afternoon. I really don't know how to describe that look correctly. He just looked so... young. I mean, I know, we are young, but only in age. Heero and I were never truly kids. But right then, dozing off the remnants of the hangover of death, he seemed to obtain that innocence, if only for a little while. It was nothing short of beautiful.

I looked down at my empty sketchpad, at Heero, then back to my empty sketchpad. Well, it couldn't hurt... it's not as if I hadn't sketched him before, and it's not like I was getting far on my assignment. So what if I couldn't turn it in? I decided right then and there that it was something worth keeping, if only for myself. Mind made up, I set my pencil to the first blank page in my brand new sketchpad and started to draw.

It was just about dark when I finished my sketch, and not a moment too soon. Heero woke up just moments later, and after flipping the book closed, we went about our night in a normal fashion, without quite so much dripping sex appeal from me. I figured if I wanted to get him to relax, I'd have to work a little slower. I was going to have to approach this from a friendly angle first, get him to relax, and then pull out the sex appeal. It meant I'd have to wait a bit to achieve my goal, and though I might be impatient, it was worth the wait. I'd been waiting roughly 19 years, what would a month or two more hurt? I remembered to grab my sketch and stash it before I holed up in my room for the night.

I was crafty enough to arrange all my classes to be on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, so I didn't have class the next day. I really enjoy a day in, a day off, you know? So I stayed up for a bit, quietly playing a few of my favorite albums and looking at that sketch I'd drawn earlier. It made my mind wander back to our war days when a look like that couldn't be afforded even in sleep, and for a couple hours, I just kind of rolled everything about the war around in my skull. You'd think by now I'd know better than to do that before bed.

I hadn't thought to warn Heero about the nightmares. So when my personal reel of the dead started to play behind my eyes, I imagine I started squirming. And I have no doubt that when the flames licked their way up the walls of the Church, I started screaming. This was all perfectly natural behavior for me, but apparently, Heero didn't know any better. Strong arms shook me like a rag doll, and my eyes shot open, the tears that I had been crying in my sleep clinging lightly to my face.

It took me a minute to come back from the past, to take in the situation and realize what had happened. Heero was just standing over me, clutching my arms and blinking at me. I realized he was probably waiting for me to say something.

"S'ry 'Ro, I f'got to warn ya..." My voice was laced with sleep, and my thoughts weren't coming through well. I took a moment to clear my throat and shake my head, clearing the sleep away. "Sorry Heero. I didn't think to warn you about my nightmares. I'm not used to living with anyone else, and it's so normal for me now that I just didn't think of it."

"Are you alright?" His normally emotionally void eyes were tinged lightly with concern, and I wondered briefly how loud I had been screaming. I noticed my sheets were strewn half-hazardly across the bed and my comforter was on the floor. I figured I was probably thrashing pretty hard.

"Yeah, I'm fine." I rubbed at my face, clearing away the tears I had forgotten were there. My chest hurt and I wanted to bash my head against a wall, but I needed to get Heero back into bed before I started bothering to sort through the mess that was my past. "Go back to bed. I'm sorry I woke you."

He let go of me then, but he just stood there for a moment, staring at me. "Do you want to talk about it?" He asked softly.

The confusion must have been pretty plain on my face because Heero blinked at me a couple times, stepping back in the process. "Uh, no, that's alright. It's the same dream I have all the time. Go back to bed, Heero."

He watched me for a moment more, like I'd change my mind and break down right in front of him, and I must admit, I almost did, but it was none of his business and he wouldn't have been able to help me at all anyway. He didn't care about my stupid past. When I didn't spontaneously combust or otherwise self destruct under his gaze, he turned and left, casting me a small glance from the doorway before quietly returning to his room.

I waited a few minutes to make sure Heero was settled in before using all the stealth training I've ever had to make my way to the living room. I stood completely still for a while, looking out of the window and up at the stars, where I could just faintly make out the twinkle of L2, lost to days long since past.

I don't do well when I have nightmares. My past likes to show up at random times and bite me in the ass, and there's not much I can do about it but just ride it out. But it hurts, you know? So when the tears returned, I cried silently, just staring up that that faint twinkle that had stole everything from me.

I had been standing in front of that window for three hours before dawn finally broke, and as light spilled into the room, I made my way over to my drawing desk, pulled open a sketchbook and started to draw.

My mind is not always right there with me when I draw. I'm not sure where it goes or how I manage to draw anything without actually concentrating on it, but time just seems to vanish, and suddenly I 'wake up', finished drawing in hand.

That morning was one of those times. The simple action of blinking brought me out of... where ever the hell I was, and I focused on my drawing as if I had no idea what it was. When I saw what it was, I damn near screamed.

Solo's face stared up from the page, the cold, glossed over eyes of someone who is already dead. He had been sick for a long time, and his eyes were dark and hollow. A smaller version of myself, in the patched up street-rat clothes I belonged in, clutched at Solo's own tattered shirt, tears spilling freely over my young face. In the background, the church was burning, bodies covered with ash and blood laid lifeless on the steps.

"Oh Jesus..." I moaned, making to throw the pad across the room, tears moving down my face again. Before I could chuck the thing at the wall in full force, it was plucked from my hand, and I whirled around, horrified to see Heero staring at the picture with an unreadable expression.

After a few moments that felt to me more like days, he finally spoke. "Your artistic skills are amazing." His voice held just a trace of awe, and I looked at him dumbfounded. My drawing was obviously disturbed, if it was anything. I mentally noted that this most definitely wasn't something I'd be handing in under the guise of 'something beautiful'.

A few minutes of awkward silence passed between us, Heero still clutching my sketchbook with the abomination much like the ones I produce after every nightmare, when he finally looked up at me. "Are you sure you don't want to talk about it?" His eyes flickered from me back to the sketchpad. "I could stay home from work again, if need be."

Oh sweet Jesus, what a large step to move my goals along, but at such a personal cost to me. My past was still just that - mine, and I wasn't sure if I was so ready to throw it out on the line for this little game I was playing. But then, I did say at all costs, and Heero was and probably always will be my best friend.

I guess my face was wrought with my inner struggle, nevermind the tears still resting on my cheeks, because I still hadn't come to a decision when Heero said with a tone of finality, "Even if you don't, I'm not going anywhere." He set the sketchpad back on the desk and added, "And don't destroy your work, Duo. It's a part of you," before walking off to call in sick for the second day in a row.

Partly baffled and completely ill at ease, I wiped the pathetic water from my face and wondered what in the hell I was going to tell him, if anything. He walked back through the room moments later, switching on the coffee pot for me and putting on a tea kettle for himself. He then proceeded to make us both a nice, hot breakfast while I just sat there dumbfounded. Heero Yuy, skip work for the problems of one Duo Maxwell? What the hell was going on here? He wanted me to talk about my feelings? Who the hell was this guy and what did he do with Heero?

Now, I'm not implying that Heero is a poor friend. He just... prioritizes. Work, work, work, a little bit of friends dashed in, work, cook, clean, work, sleep. Notice emotions don't even get a spot on that list, and us friends definitely don't come before work. Hell, fun isn't even on that list. It's just an added bonus to some of his friend encounters. Heero is polite and distant. It's just his nature when it comes to dealing with people. He's either quite and polite, or, if you have the misfortune of being on his bad side, quite and deadly. He used to be quite and rude, so he'd really improved a lot.

He snapped me out of my zone and beckoned me to the table to eat with him. I don't think I've ever been as nervous as I was sitting there, eating in pointed silence, ready to flinch at the first thing that came out of his mouth.

But nothing came. No words, that is. We ate in complete silence and he didn't press me for anything. Afterwards, he popped in one of my favorite Disney movies, the Emperor's New Groove. We watched it in silence, but this quiet was a little more companionable, broke every so often by the sounds of my laughter at all the classic antics in that movie. I even quoted right in time with the movie at some of my favorite parts, like the plan to turn the Emperor into a flee. Man, I love that part. It's brilliant, brilliant, brilliant!

The rest of the morning went very much like that. We just watched funny movies, I'd laugh and quote, and Heero would smirk a little. In the early hours of the afternoon, Heero began preparing lunch. He still hadn't broached the subject, and for our brash and straight to the point soldier-boy, that was quite impressive. I think I was kinda awed by the amount of care he was showing me. Like I said, emotions aren't his strong point, and neither is talking, so when he takes the time to let his actions do the talking for him, it's almost... endearing. That alone had me wanting to spill my guts to him. Couple that with the side of guilt that he's my best friend and I should have already trusted him with it made up my resolve.

I mean, I was just going to fill in some blanks for him, right? He wouldn't think less of me, right? He was my best friend, no matter what. So why was I plagued by the sudden insecurities that he'd hate me for who I was? He knew I was a thief and an orphan. He knew people called me street rat. Heero would never hate me. Why was I so afraid he would?

We ate in silence again, but this time it was courage building silence. I spent every single moment of that much too short meal digging up every ounce of strength I had. It didn't seem like nearly enough. But when he went to pop in another movie bound to get me laughing, I reluctantly called him back.

"'Ro?" I tested out the new nickname on my tongue, the one I'd mumbled when he'd woke me all those long hours earlier. He responded to it though, and somehow, I grew an instant attachment to it. It felt special. I had nicknames for all the pilots except one. And now that I had one for the final pilot, I knew it was right, and that it would probably be connected to all things sensitive and emotional between us. I mean, I couldn't just wear it out, you know?

"Duo?" Ah, the sweet sound of his voice sent chills through me. After all, he'd been comforting me all day long, but he hadn't managed to speak one word while doing it. The sound of his voice was like a whole different kind of comfort.

"I guess it's time for me to speak up, eh?" I grinned unsteadily, but I was committed now. There was no running away now. So in typical Maxwell fashion, I just started talking, everything and anything just tumbling from my mouth as fast as I could get it from my brain to push it through my lips. Solo, my street life, the Plague, Father Maxwell and Sister Helen, the whole nine yards, and before I knew it, I was crying and Heero had me in a firm embrace.

I don't know how long he held me there. I just know he looked like he was in a wet t-shirt contest by the time he pulled away, and I was just starting to come to my senses enough to realize that I-Don't-Like-To-Be-Touched Yuy had just hugged the crap out of me. He'd even rubbed reassuring circles on my back and everything. It was amazingly intimate, yet at the same time, it was so much more than that. I could still smell his wild scent and his touches lingered in a tingly phantom across my skin. It was in that moment where I was still halfway between the emotions of sad and touched that I started to fear what I had set out to do was wrong. I didn't want to use Heero.

I knew without a shadow of a doubt that if I succeeded in my ambitions, I would.


	3. Part III

(Full Lemon removed due to fanfiction(dot)net policy. If you wish to read the lemon in its entirety, either visit my LJ, which can be found under hostilecrayon, or look me up at Media Miner)

**Part III**

Confused is really the only thing I can say I felt for the next two weeks. I was completely and undoubtedly attracted to my best friend, but all of a sudden, I wasn't so sure if there was anything I could do about it. I mean, yeah, I could continue to pursue him to fill my sexual needs, but was that fair to Heero? Things just seemed so much more complicated now, and it wasn't doing much for my sleeping habits.

Meanwhile, we went about our days like normal, Heero blissfully unaware of my past attempted ploys to get him into bed. It was a little unnerving, and I had to force myself not to be skittish in front of him. My schoolwork was suffering and I felt like a complete train wreck.

When Quat called and suggested a Pilots Night Out, I jumped on it. It was just the kind of thing that could help me unwind, and I hadn't really seen the guys since I'd moved in with Heero. When I heard Trowa had picked the restaurant I sighed with relief and decided to wear something casual. Quatre means well, he really does, but his idea of a restaurant practically requires a tux just to get in the door. 'Only the best for my friends,' he says. I'm wondering when he'll figure out that just having the friends we do is the best.

Trowa picked a homey little pizza place, and I flashed him my most grateful smile as I took my customary place next to Heero. Quatre, the pinnacle of polite conversation starters, began with me.

"Duo, how do you like school?"

"Well, it's a far cry from planting bombs and saving the world, but it's not so bad." I grinned. "I can't help but occasionally think Heero will come strolling into the class at any minute with some mission to blow a base in the general location sky high, though."

Quatre chuckled a little at that. "Old rituals are hard to forget. I never was able to break the habit of sleeping as close to the door as possible."

"That's nothing!" I exclaimed. "Heero slept with a spare pair of clothes in a duffle bag by his bed for at least a year after war. Remember, Heero?" I nudged him a little, and he had the decency to blush slightly, a very attractive look for him. It was a familiar conversation, one we'd had many times in the past, and I buried myself in the comfort of it.

"I hear Wufei still practices his katas every morning." Trowa said as if the man himself wasn't sitting just to his left.

Wufei scowled. "Of course I do, Barton! I can't allow my skills to slip just because the war is over."

"Speaking of which, how's the Dojo coming along?" Quatre inquired.

"Things are going well. It seems the style of the Dragon will not die with me."

"You know, you could always just get a girlfriend and pop out a couple of kids to pass the style down to." I grinned. Poking fun at Wufei's love life had always been a favorite pastime of mine.

His face grew red. Indignantly, he spat, "Take your own advice, Maxwell!"

My grin grew in magnitude as I tossed back, "Like I could put up with a woman that damn long. Hell, like I could put up with one at all!"

"You and Hilde seemed to get along well enough." He snorted.

"Yeah right, 'Fei. Hilde's like a sister to me. I've never looked at her like that. I've got the best friends a guy could have. Why would I want to go a throw a girl into the mix?" Quatre gave me a knowing look, and I groaned inwardly a little. I still hadn't told the guys I was gay, but I was willing to bet that Quatre had just figured it out. Damn his Space Heart. And if Quatre knew, it wouldn't be long before it was passed on to Trowa...

I sunk a little in my chair, pointedly not meeting Quatre's eyes. I thanked the God I didn't believe in that he was kind enough to change the subject. "How is your job, Heero?"

"Fine. We just finished a large project well ahead of schedule. They seem to be having trouble keeping me busy."

Quat laughed. "Well, that's not surprising."

The pizza arrived then, and I was quick to dive in. It was mushrooms and olives, and though it's a far cry from my You-Name-It-It's-On-It usual, it was still a decent choice. As I was scarfing down my pizza, I chanced a look in Quatre's direction, where Trowa was feeding him a slice. It made me wonder what it would be like to have Heero feed me pizza. That didn't bode well with me.

Quatre and Trowa had never been shy about their relationship, and once they had told us about it, they were always showing each other affection in front of us. It never bothered me in the slightest, but as Quatre wiped some pizza sauce off of Trowa's face and then licked it off his fingers and an image of doing that to Heero flitted across my mind, I suddenly wasn't very hungry anymore.

"Duo? Are you feeling alright? You haven't eaten very much..." Heero's soothing voice cut through my thoughts like butter, and I floundered for a suitable answer. I settled on something that sounded like 'I'm fine' while I continued staring unceremoniously at the table. It was a very nice grain, curved ever so slightly...

"Duo."

I looked up and the first thing I saw was exactly what I had been avoiding all night. Trowa's arm was draped lovingly around Quatre as he repeated my name, trying to get an answer out of me.

"I'm sorry. I'm a little spacey tonight, I guess." Quatre looked at me with those damn knowing eyes again with just the barest hints of a smirk on his face. Trowa, ever the observant one, looked at his lover imploringly, and Quatre leaned over to whisper something in Trowa's ear. Yep, Quatre knew. When Trowa's eyes began to sparkle and dart back and forth between Heero and I, I decided that I couldn't take much more of the torture. "Quatre." I said pointedly. "You do know it's rude to whisper, right?" I glowered at him.

But Quatre just straightened in his chair and smiled at me. "I do. But some things are worth whispering about." I swear, if he were any more malicious, he would have winked at me. I glared at Quatre, Trowa was watching Heero, and Heero was looking back and forth between Quatre and me, obviously confused by the exchange.

"What the hell is going on?" Wufei roared. Oops, I'd forgot he was there at all. I'm sure our little exchange wasn't so discreet, and now all eyes were turned to me expectantly.

"Uh... um..." I began intelligently.

"It's nothing." Quatre's words cut through my haze of grasping for possible answers. Well, at least he wasn't going to tell everyone.

"Bullshit Winner. Something just happened, and I'd like to know what it was." Damn Wufei for being so stubborn.

Trowa's eyes were practically glowing as he watched me thoughtfully. "It's nothing important, Wufei. Don't worry about it."

"Duo?" Oh no, could it get any worse? Heero was asking me directly, and there really wasn't anyway my hazy mine could think to get out of the situation without lying, and I just don't lie. Stretch and bend the truth, yeah, but outright lie? No. I turned to look at him, and realized I should know better than to challenge the powers of worse when I spotted a smear of pizza sauce across Heero's lower lip. I could just reach up and...

No! "I'm gay, Okay? Is that alright with you? I'm fucking one hundred percent flaming homosexual. Fucking gay. Is that what you all wanted to hear?" Not exactly my best reaction, but it could have been worse. Or not. Heero just stared at me shell shocked, and I rounded my glare on Quatre. "You know, I'd appreciate it if you didn't use your damn Space Heart on me and then go making it glaringly obvious I have some sort of secret, okay?"

Quatre winced a little at my harsh tone. "I'm sorry, Duo. It's not like I can control it, and I didn't really think things would get out of hand if I told Trowa..."

"Whatever man. I'm outta here." I grabbed my jacket off the back off my chair and fled.

So... that could have gone better.

I made my way slowly through town, thinking of both what I said and Heero's reaction to it. Was it possible I had pegged him wrong? He was most definitely completely shocked. I wondered if he was disgusted with me. If he hadn't known of my antics before, he sure could put two and two together now. Would he want me to leave? Would things get awkward between us? Heero was my best friend. I didn't want to lose him over this.

I wrapped my arms around myself as the wind chill picked up and slowed my pace even more. How was I going to face him? What a horrible idea, to try to sleep with my best friend. What was I? some kind of first rate idiot? Was I trying to ruin the relationship I had with Heero?

I kicked myself mentally all the way back home, sauntering at a dangerously slow pace. It's a good thing muggers aren't really an issue for me. If anything, a distraction like that could have made me feel a bit better, but no such luck for one Duo Maxwell, stupidest best friend in the Earth Sphere.

It was well into the morning hour of three when I finally made my way through the front door. I planned to head straight to my room, lock my door and never come out, but it wasn't meant to be. To my surprise, Heero was sitting wide awake on the couch, waiting for me.

I had no idea what to do, and I just stood there gawking for a good few minutes, trying to make out his expression in the dark apartment. After gaping like a fish for a few minutes, I decided to try for an apology. "Heero... I'm sorry... I-"

But before I could get anything else out Heero had made his way across the room, grabbed me by the wrist, and... pushed his mouth against mine.

It was a feral kiss, and once the shock began to wear off, my body kicked into overdrive, thrusting my tongue against Heero's, trying desperately to taste all of him before this odd dream-like reality shattered. He bit at my lips and thrust his fingers into my hair where the braid was loose. One of my hands mimicked his, burying itself into the soft hair at the nape of Heero's neck, while my other hand came to rest on his hip.

And then it was over. I was panting wildly, my face flushed and my mind reeling. My mouth, which was apparently on auto-pilot, said, "Damn. That sure was one hell of a first kiss! The nineteen year wait was worth it!"

"I'm not."

Puzzled as to what that could have applied to in my little declaration, I frowned. "You're not what?"

"Sorry." And just like that, he was descending upon me again. I thought, during the split second before his lips covered mine, that this was somehow wrong, that only bad could come of it, but then his mouth was hot and moist and his teeth scraped against my bottom lip, and all coherent thought was lost to that touch. After all, wasn't it what I had wanted from the beginning? Who was I to push him away?

His tongue grazed across my jaw line, and I promptly let go of my inhibitions, and instead, I clutched at Heero; my fingers digging deeply into his shoulders as he dragged me down the hallway and kicked open the closest bedroom door – mine.

We tumbled inside like the hormone ridden teenagers we were, and with a small curve of his lips, he dipped me low to the ground and kissed me like we were stars in some cheesy romance movie. I couldn't help but laugh, earning me a rare chuckle in return, and the little nagging thought was buried deeper into the back of my mind; my body resigned to enjoying the moment.

He was grinning, an infectious thing, and I could feel the radiance of my full-fledged smile as he picked me up with strong hands and tossed me lightly onto the bed like I was no heavier than a bag of laundry. I bounced a little, laughing in wonder as Heero slowly stalked across the bed on his hands and knees, a smirk tugging at his lips and his blue eyes mischievous and clouded over with desire. Heero Yuy – Playful in bed. Imagine that.

His lips found mine again as he slipped a cool hand under my shirt and ran his fingertips over the scarred planes of my stomach, my muscles rippling under his touch. With one smooth movement, my shirt was gone. He suckled on my neck, biting softly at my collar bone while his fingers carefully traced every scar they came across. I'm sure he remembered each and every incident that brought on the battle scars, and he was at least familiar with the ones I had got before then. He patched me up more times than I can count during the war, and I had returned the favor. We may not have been intimate, but we knew each other's bodies as well as we knew our own.

Then his fingers came up to circle my nipple, and all coherent thought was lost yet again. A small, strangled groan made its way past my throat, encouraging him further as he sucked my other nipple into his mouth, his piercing blue eyes carefully watching my face, taking in every twitch of muscle. I arched up against him slightly when I felt his teeth brush softly across my sensitive flesh.

He ran his fingers down my side, toying with the top of my low cut jeans, and before I knew what was happening, my body became an active participant as I pulled ferociously on Heero's shirt. He stopped his delightful ministrations just long enough for me to remove it before he swooped down upon me again, his tongue circling my navel twice before dipping into it with a little wiggle. I let out a startled half laugh, half moan, and I could feel him smile against my skin.

His hand found the button to my jeans, and I could feel him hesitate even as his other hand removed the band holding my hair. He kept his eyes on mine, and I could see them go from mischievous to questioning and - dare I say it – uncertain, even as he undid the plait in my hair, running it softly through his fingers. Here it was, the moment of truth. He was giving me the out I'd wanted. I knew I should take it. It was the right thing to do.

But there was something about the way it made me feel to see Heero so casual, to see him so happy and playful and, well, downright impish that made it difficult to voice my concerns. The little voice Heero had suppressed with his intense doting had returned, but to my surprise, it had less that half the ferocity from before.

I must have been thinking it over for too long because Heero closed his eyes, letting out a resigned sigh. He abruptly released my pants, though he seemed hesitant to remove his hand from my hair, almost as if his left hand had a mind of its own. I almost let the little voice, smaller though it may have been, win, but as he shifted his weight to lever himself off of me, he opened his eyes, and what I found there made my chest constrict painfully.

The beautiful spark from only moments ago was completely gone, leaving behind an emptiness that I'm willing to bet reached clear down to the depths of his soul. He was desperately trying to reign in his emotions; trying to construct his wall of indifference, but he was failing miserably. That alone spoke volumes. But what really swayed me was the flicker of pain peeking out at me. The voice flared up in full force again, setting off alarms and warning me that this will only get much, much worse if I didn't let this go now, but I wasn't listening. Heero was hurting and all I could think about was how he had been so sweet and so comforting to me in my time of need. He was in pain, and it was my fault. I had to fix it, and I had to fix it now.

So I did the only thing I could think of to remedy the situation as quick as possible. His elbows were half bent as he began pushing himself up off of me and, burying one hand in his hair and placing the other firmly on the base of his spine, I pulled him downwards, crushing my mouth against his in desperation. 'Please don't hurt', I told him with my lips. 'Don't let me hurt you', I begged with my tongue. 'I don't want you to be in pain', I imparted with my roaming fingers.

I could feel his muscles slowly relaxing against me; melting into my unspoken declarations and allowing me to take him wherever I was willing to go. I would have gone to the edges of the universe to return his beautiful smile to him. I guided a hand between us, and this time, it was me pulling at the button on his pants. I didn't need to travel to the unknown depths of space for him. Instead, I'd take him to the stars.

I released his lips as I pushed at his pants and boxers. His smile was back, though it was much softer than his previous smirk, and his eyes practically glowed. My eyes trailed along his naked body, taking in everything with no small level of awe. His dark hair was wild, falling slightly over his almond shaped eyes, their blue radiant with a level of openness I'd never before seen coming from Heero. His chest and arms were perfectly sculpted, muscled rippling lightly beneath scarred olive skin. His shaft was fully hard, long and large; already dotted slightly with precum. His powerful legs were well defined, flexing mildly as he supported his weight. "Beautiful…" I breathed, almost to myself.

He kissed my nose, stripping me of my garments in return. His eyes roamed slowly over my body and I felt my skin heating up under his lingering gaze. "If I am beautiful, then there are no words powerful enough to describe you, Duo Maxwell." My light flush became a to-the-roots-of-my-hair blush at those words, spoken so seriously; his smoldering gaze finally meeting my eyes again. He kissed me then, and I let his fingers roam freely; kneading the sensitive flesh of my hips and inner thighs.

My fingers slid down his torso, slipping down to grip the firm globes of his butt, eliciting a satisfying groan. His lips ghosted over my ear, breathing steady puffs of air that made me shudder with delight. His tongue trailed down my neck, and he marked me gently at the junction where neck meets shoulder. He scooted down my body, his tongue dancing across my flesh, stopping every so often to leave bites and tender markings. I squirmed and whimpered beneath him when his tongue swept across the sensitive flesh that joins leg and groin. He dropped lower still to nibble at my thighs before moving back up to hover over my dripping erection, his tender gaze locking with mine. I held my breath in anticipation as I smiled for him. With that small confirmation, he descended upon me.

(Full Lemon removed due to fanfiction(dot)net policy. If you wish to read the lemon in its entirety, either visit my LJ, which can be found under hostilecrayon, or look me up at Media Miner.)

He collapsed on top of me, our sweat-soaked skin making us slide against each other. His lips captured mine in a very lazy kiss before he rolled off of me to spoon me from behind. Completely sated, I felt him wrap his arm around me and closed my eyes. My breathing evened out and I had been lingering on the edge of sleep for several long minutes before he spoke.

He ran a lazy hand through my hair and whispered, "Sleep well, Duo. I love you."

It took everything in my power not to freeze up and give away the fact that I wasn't actually sleeping. My heart leapt into my throat and the voice jumped out in full force to scream 'I told you so!'

Shit. This could not end well.


	4. Part IV

Title: A Teenager in Cliché Part IV  
Rating: R  
Paring: 1x2, 3x4

Warnings: Lime, Angst  
Disclaimer: Don't own it. Want to watch some 1x2 action, though.  
Summary: As Duo puts it, "So I was just one big, burning ball of cliché back then."

Notes: Yeah… so… this was supposed to be the last part… Well… it's not. I know it took me forever, but I realized that I didn't want the last part to be twice as long as the rest, and as it was getting there, I decided to cut it off here and put the rest up (when it's done) as the last part. So… my apologies.

**A Teenager in Cliché Part IV**

Even after years of peace, my soldier instincts were still with me, so when I woke up, I was instantly aware of four things: I was naked, sore, in my own bed, and something warm was pressed against me. My first instinct was to flee the unknown, lick my wounds and figure out what the hell happened, but just as I went to move, it all started coming back to me along with an inner monologue of 'oh god oh god oh shit oh god oh GOD'.

I'd slept with Heero Yuy.

And he was still in my bed.

SHIT.

I'd shared a bed with Heero before, back when there was no other option during the war, so I knew all too well that there was just no sneaking out without waking him. So either I woke him and ended up in a potentially awkward situation, or I let him wake naturally and feign sleep, hoping he wouldn't insist on waiting for me to wake up. I chose the latter. I really wanted to delay the inevitable as much as possible.

I didn't have to wait long. A few minutes after I woke, Heero stirred. I did my best to even out my breathing and lay perfectly still. He kissed me on the cheek, and I could feel his smile on my flesh. I had to force myself not to hold my breath while he sat there watching me. Luckily, a few minutes of idle activity is too much for Heero, and he didn't opt to wake me as he rolled out of bed and grabbed for his clothes. I waited a full five minutes before getting up and doing the same.

I retreated to the bathroom, taking a nice, long shower to kill some time. I thought long and hard, trying to come up with any real excuse I could think of before I stumbled onto the Art Faire my college was presenting this weekend. With a little effort, I cracked a smile and headed out to face the lion's den.

Heero was in the kitchen, and I poked my head in to see what was up. "Whatcha doing?"

It was a little unnerving to see him turn and greet me with a smile. "Making French Toast."

My taste buds drooled a little, and I figured it wouldn't hurt to get a decent breakfast. I wanted to get out of there, but I didn't want to hurt Heero's feelings, either. He was obviously making breakfast for me. He wasn't that big on French Toast, but he knew it was one of my favorites.

I took a seat at the far end of the table and watched him dip the bread into the batter. He tossed it onto the skillet and it made a satisfying sizzling sound. I shifted a little in my seat, and Heero noticed. "Sore?"

I tried to hold back my blush. "Just a little bit."

He hesitated for a moment before coming over to me and putting his fingers on my neck. I felt my pulse rise under his touch. "What about these? Do they… hurt?"

"Do what hurt?" I blinked at him. What was he asking about? Unless…

"These purplish marks. Do they hurt at all?"

"Heero… tell me you didn't leave hickeys all over me…" His embarrassed blush was all I needed to answer that implied question. I sighed. "How bad?"

He flushed a little deeper, and despite all the awkwardness of the situation, it still made him look damn cute. "Well… they're sort of big… didn't you look in the mirror when you took your shower? You have them all down your front…" He trailed off, obviously flustered.

"I'll go survey the damage. You just cook." I fled to the bathroom, shedding my shirt in the process. One look in the mirror made my jaw drop.

I had well over a dozen hickeys, starting at just below my right ear and leading all the way down to my neither regions. A quick drop of my pants confirmed another, lighter mark on the inside of my thigh.

Well, changing for basketball was going to be a lot of fun. I let out a resigned sigh, put my clothes back on and headed back into the kitchen.

"I'm sorry. I got a little carried away." Heero said quietly. He seemed as flustered over the whole situation as I was.

"Don't worry about it. I was just thinking that changing for basketball is going to be very interesting." I chuckled a little for him, and he visibly relaxed. A plate of French Toast appeared in front of me, and all talking ceased as I began to scarf.

Three plates and a loud belch later signaled me to make my exit. "Hey Heero, there's an Art Faire over at the school right now, and my teacher is offering extra credit points for dropping by, so I'm going to head over there for a bit. Thanks for breakfast; it was great."

He looked a little disappointed, but he nodded for me anyway. He locked eyes with me for a few awkward moments, then he raised a tentative hand towards me. With an inward groan, I let him pull me to him.

The kiss was gentle, his tongue asking me questions that I didn't have the answers to. I returned the kiss with the same uncertainty, and when he pulled back, his soft smile and questioning eyes were hard to face.

"I'll be back in a few hours." I said, running my fingers through his hair before I bolted out the door.

Now, it's not as if I was attracted to him any less because of our bedroom romp. If anything, I was more attracted to him. I just didn't want to give him the wrong idea. The only problem with that is I was no longer sure what the right idea was. Something had changed. Not just Heero's new, baffling attitude, though that was certainly brand new. Something changed in me, and it was disturbing that I couldn't put my finger on it.

I cruised around the Art Faire for a couple of hours, picking up the right papers to get the extra credit I didn't really need. It wasn't all that exciting, and I found I was quickly bored out of my mind with the mediocre exhibits. It wasn't until I noticed a picture on my way out entitled "Beauty" that I started to panic.

Fuck. I had forgotten all about the 'draw something beautiful' assignment. It was due the next day. I practically ran home and dove for my art desk. In a flurry of pencil and pages, I began sketching as quickly as I could – anything I could.

"Duo?" Heero called from the other room.

"I forgot about an assignment! It's due tomorrow!" I was panicking, and for the most part, just wasting paper. Nothing beautiful could come out of my mad frenzy, and several hours after I started, Heero pried me away from my work for a late dinner. I still didn't have anything decent.

I inadvertently ignored Heero all through dinner, too busy trying to figure out what I was going to do. My mind wandered for a bit, and finally settled on my only real option to get any sort of grade. I'd have to turn in the sketch of Heero. It fit the criteria perfectly, but I was a little worried about Heero finding out I used it. It was kind of personal, after all. He's never given his consent to be sketched.

When we were finished eating, Heero gave me another tentative kiss before retreating to his room in obvious discomfort. He didn't ask me to join him, and for that, I was very glad. I probably would have agreed just to make him happy, but I really didn't think it was a good idea.

Instead, I called it an early night and climbed into bed. I didn't sleep very well, though.

Eight hours and one very wet dream later, I got myself ready for school in the very welcome solitude. Heero had already left for work, but he had brewed me a fresh pot before he left. It was kind of nice to know he was thinking about me.

I turned in the secret sketch, got props in Basketball for getting laid, and got a few disapproving looks from my history teacher. The day was going relatively smooth, and remembering how Heero had thought of me both of the last two mornings, I decided to repay his kindness by actually cleaning up around the living room and in the kitchen – a chore I almost never do.

I sprawled out over the couch for a while, flipping through the channels. I got bored with that fairly quickly, and as I glanced at the clock, I noticed Heero was late. I frowned a little. It wasn't like Heero to be late.

I tried sketching a bit, but I couldn't focus. I looked at the clock again. I plowed through a manga, but it couldn't keep my attention. As I scanned the room for a source of entertainment, my eyes noted the time on the wall clock over the kitchen. I went in the kitchen for a snack, but I wasn't very hungry. I found myself looking at the digital clock on the stove.

I shook my head as I realized how ridiculous I was being. Heero had been late before, even if it was rare, and he could perfectly take care of himself. I told myself that it was just a little friendly worry, and it was perfectly normal.

I'm not sure I convinced myself.

I was sitting on the couch pretending to be engrossed in some Mobile Suit documentary and trying not to bite my nails in anticipation when Heero sauntered in three hours later. My first instinct was to tackle him, but that would have been bad for my friend projection, so I just looked at him expectantly instead.

"Sorry, I got caught up in a last minute snag. I couldn't just leave it."

"You could have called." I snapped before I could even think about what I was saying.

He blinked at me a few times, as confused at my sudden burst of anger as I was. "I'm sorry, Duo. I didn't think you'd be worried."

He was right to think that. Why should I have been worried? He didn't have a dangerous job and Heero could handle himself better than anyone. It was pretty irrational to worry over nothing… "S'okay."

He walked over and kissed me soundly, and I found myself welcoming his touch, reassuring his safety with my tongue. When his tongue left my mouth to quest over my neck, I didn't push him away like my mind told me to; instead gave in to the sensations he was giving me, and even going so far as to let my hands and tongue search his magnificent body as well.

I let him worship me right there on the couch, his mouth and hands driving me past the point of delirium and pulling me back again, learning my body and all the spots that make me scream with pleasure and exploiting them.

This time, I returned the favor, my lips sliding over his erection at an almost lazy pace as I took in his small, ragged gasps and rich flavor. My tongue danced across his shaft, learning every little curve, slowing to tease at the tip before dipping down lower again. I experimented with different amounts of pressure, using his soft cries as my guide. I strung him along for nearly a half an hour before letting him cum, and when he did, I rolled the flavor around in my mouth before swallowing it. The dark, salty-sweet flavor lingered in my mouth as I moved up and kissed him, and he groaned into my mouth as our flavors combined. I never thought giving head could be so erotic.

He did ask me to go to bed with him this time, and I agreed. It wasn't until we were splayed across his bed in a tangle of limbs that my brain kicked back into overdrive. It wanted to know what I was doing, and when I didn't have an answer, I told it to shut up so I could get some sleep. Unnerving as it was to be in Heero's bed with him, it was damn warm and comfortable. I decided to take advantage of it for just the one night, and resolved to call Quatre in the morning.

Right after Heero kissed me goodbye, I headed for the vid-phone. I knew Quatre was a busy man, so catching him early was crucial if I wanted more than a second of his time without imposing on his work schedule. Quatre would ignore it for me, I'm sure, but I didn't want to do that to him.

"Winner Enterprises, Quatre speaking." Even at six-thirty in the morning, he's all business.

I hit the button to click on the screen and I flashed Quatre a sheepish grin. "Hey Quat."

"Duo! What a pleasant surprise. What brings you to the phone at this hour?" Did I mention that my friends are the best? He was completely going to forget the argument we had, but I still felt like I needed to apologize.

"Look, I'm sorry for blowing up at you. I didn't mean it."

He dismissed it with a wave of his hand. "It's no big deal, Duo. I should have been more careful, too. You have my apologies as well. Surely you weren't awoken by a sudden urge to apologize?"

I chuckled ruefully. "You know me too well, Quat. I actually need some advice."

His eyebrows lifted in interest. "Advice? What kind of advice?"

"Well, you see…" And I proceeded to tell him all of the events that had occurred since my little scene in the pizza parlor, as well as a little about my previous attractions to Heero. "I really don't know what to do about it."

"Well, what exactly are you asking me? You've told me that you don't want to hurt Heero, that you're physically attracted to him, and that you're not in love with him but you think he's in love with you. You've told me a whole lot, but you haven't actually asked me anything, Duo."

He knew exactly what I was asking, and I'm sure he knew that I knew that, too, but he wanted to hear me say it. "How do I keep Heero from getting hurt?"

He smiled that little knowing smile that always means trouble for me. "Are you sure you're asking the right question?"

"Of course I am! This is about how Heero feels! He's my best friend, and I don't want to lose him over some crazy misunderstanding-"

"Duo." He cut me off calmly.

"What?" I barked.

"How did you feel yesterday when Heero brewed you a fresh pot of coffee before work?"

"I… well, I was pleased." I floundered a bit. What the hell did that have to do with anything? It was a sign of Heero's attachment to me, sure, but how I felt about it never entered the equation in my mind.

"Did you do something nice for him in return?"

"Well, yeah. He'd made me French Toast the day before, too, remember? I owed him. I just tidied the place up a bit."

"When was the last time you cleaned the apartment, regardless of Heero's actions?"

"Um… well, I… Err…" I couldn't remember a single time, actually. Heero is extremely clean, and he usually dealt with any messes before he went to bed. It didn't seem to bother him, so I usually let him do his thing.

"I see."

"Quatre, what the hell are you going on about?"

He acted like I didn't say anything. "And when Heero was late, how did that make you feel?"

"I was nervous, of course! Heero is almost never late! That's perfectly natural." I wasn't so sure who I was trying to convince, him or me.

"What about when he finally came home?"

"I was relieved that he was alright, and a little angry he didn't call me." My brows knit together at the memory. He really could have called…

"Duo."

"Huh?"

"I want you to do a little introspection today."

"What do you mean?"

"Just think about how you've been feeling during the past few days and figure out what the cause of those feelings is. Call me when you figure it out."

"Quatre? What the hell are you implying, buddy?"

He smirked. "Just call me when you figure it out. I'll hear from you sooner or later, I'm sure." Then the screen went blank. I scowled at it as if Quatre could see it, then I stormed off to the kitchen to dig up some ice cream. I was definitely overdue for some serious brooding.

Three hours and forty-two minutes later, Quatre answered his phone. "Winner Enterprises, Quatre speaking."

I pushed the button for video feed and immediately launched into my tirade. "Quatre, I can't feel for him like that. I would have realized it a long time ago and yes, I love him as a friend, but it's nothing more than that. It's just a physical attraction and a comfortable companionship between friends, and I'm sure if Heero took the time to examine his feelings, he'd realize that too-"

"Duo, Heero knows exactly how he feels. You're the only one who's confused here." He shook his head with slow, careful motions. It was movement designed to make the person watching it lose faith in everything they were so firm on just moments before. It was working.

"How do you know how Heero feels?" I asked in a considerably smaller voice than the one I'd started the call with.

"He told Trowa a long time ago… a very long time ago."

I wasn't sure I wanted to know the answer to the question at the front of my mind, but I had to ask. "…How long is 'a very long time ago'?"

"During the war." That's what I was afraid of. "After you stormed off at the Pizza Parlor, Trowa was finally sure of what I've known for quite some time. Something you're still in denial about.

"Duo, it was no coincidence that Heero came home late yesterday. Trowa ran into Heero by pure coincidence, and he told me he could practically feel the difference in his attitude rolling off of him. From what Trowa told me, they spoke briefly about your sexual encounter and his concerns about your feelings.

"Since neither of you seemed willing or able to bring up your feelings to the other, Trowa decided to take matters into his own hands. He hacked Heero's program. It's shocking he didn't know that himself. You didn't really believe his program had some random flaw, did you? No, that was Trowa's work. He predicted the friction it would cause in you would lead you to call me, and here we are."

"…So what you're telling me…" I began slowly, "Is that I was set up?"

"Well, you both were, actually. It was Trowa who entertained the thought of Heero sleeping with you after you left in the first place. Discreetly, of course, but he planted the seed nonetheless. And of course, you didn't really believe I didn't realize you were gay well before that night, did you?"

I stared at the little video of his grinning face. "Quatre… you manipulative bastard! How much of this does Heero know?"

"I would assume Trowa is giving him pretty much the same speech right about now."

"You are both manipulative little…"

"What did you expect? He's the espionage specialist, and I'm the tactical mastermind." He smiled widely, obviously pleased with himself.

"Well, at least Wufei wasn't in on this…" I grumbled.

"Actually-"

"I don't even want to know, Quat. I really don't."

"So will you just admit that you're in love with him? That's you've been in love with him for quite a while now?"

I smiled and shook my head. "Not to you, I won't." He knew what I was implying, and he just smiled back. "I should be so mad at you guys for this…"

"But you won't be." He smirked. "I'm sure you'll thank us later."

"Maybe." I grinned.

"Oh, by the way, Trowa is sending Heero home early. He should be there any minute. Call me tomorrow." He said with a wink, cutting the connection and leaving me grinning like a loon all by myself.


End file.
